


Would All This Be True If I Didn't (S)care For You

by pansaralance



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M, au where they get their shit together and become a couple and get to enjoy fall together, gobblepot, gobblepothalloween2017, this is way too short and probably ooc but it be like that sometimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 09:17:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12478292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pansaralance/pseuds/pansaralance
Summary: Jim and Oswald are enjoying fall festivities when Jim sees what he thinks is a familiar face.





	Would All This Be True If I Didn't (S)care For You

Oswald had no idea what had gotten into Jim. 

They had traveled up to the country to get out of the city for a bit and enjoy some fall festivities. While Jim seemed resentful at the concept of apple picking, he ended up with more in his basket than anyone else and a beaming grin of pride on his face. He plunged into a pile of leaves—taking Oswald with him—gleaming at how pretty they were when the colors changed. He even carved a jack-o-lantern at the pumpkin carving station. Oswald had rarely seen Jim this carefree, and he was glad his idea of this brought out so much fun and joy in his partner. His mother used to take him up here and he remembered the bliss it brought him. Jim deserved the same.

But now Jim was running away from him, from the entire festival, frantic and panicking. “We have to get out of here!” was all he could muster through his quick breathing. 

“What is it? Jim! I can’t keep up with my leg!”

Jim stopped at a tree to rest against as Oswald finally got to him. He took Jim’s face in his hands and forced him to look him. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I had to get out…he’s back. The sca-“ Jim was on the verge of tears. “The last time I nearly-“

What did Jim see that triggered this? Oswald thought back to where they’d been. They were enjoying the walk through of the corn maze when…

Oh.

The scarecrow.

Oswald recalled how that was the form Jonathan Crane had take. Jim must have suffered under his fear gas. He rested his hands on Jim’s shoulders now to stead him. “That wasn’t him, Jim.”

Jim remembered the gas. The mayhem. The vision. Once again a damaged soul in gotham reminded him how badly he wanted to end his miserable life at the time. And that was just what he did to Jim.

“I never caught him. He’s still out there.”

“That wasn’t him.”

“That gas nearly killed you too, Oswald.”

Is that why Jim was so scared? It wasn’t like him to cower in the face of danger. Jim didn’t care what happened to himself, but to Oswald-

“But it didn’t kill me. Do you know what saved me, Jim? What brought me back from that potential eternity of terror?” He embraced Jim to pull him in close and gently kiss his lips. “You. I was more terrified than I’d ever been in my life and then I heard your voice behind me. At my most primal of thoughts I knew to come to you, I clung to you as my anchor. So if he ever does get you again, I can be the same for you.”

Jim must have taken these words to heart because he was finally back to breathing normally and sighed as he rested his head on Oswald’s shoulder. Oswald brought up a hand to cradle the back of Jim’s head. “We’ll get him together. You and I. Heaven help any being who goes against the two of us.” That got a muffled chuckle from Jim, but he was right. They’d already taken down various foes together. They were strongest together. It took just took them both a great while to stubbornly admit.

Jim lifted his head back up to kiss Oswald. It was less urgent than the last, a gentle yet purposeful reminder of their bond.

“Come,” Oswald clutched Jim’s hand to lead him towards the direction of the car. “There’s not much we can do for today. What’s say we retire to my place. A roaring fireplace awaits us.”

Jim smiled. “With hot cocoa to warm us?”

“I’ll even add Bailey’s to yours.”

“You know me too well.”

Tomorrow they’d conquer yet another foe. Today Oswald just wanted Jim by his side to enjoy this lovely fall afternoon.


End file.
